Heel for split work stockings



3, H MCADAMS 1995,24

HEEL FOR SPLIT WORK STOCKINGS Filed Dec. 15, 1950 Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEEL FOR SPLIT WORK STOCKINGS Application December 15, 1930, Serial No. 502,578

2 Claims.

selvage loops interengaged to form a unitinglongitudinal suture on each side of the stocking. The ordinary heel pocket in this type of stocking commonly employs all the needles producing the lower foot portion and the resulting heel sutures extend to and join the split-work sutures, such junctions forming recognized weak spots liable to breakage during necessary handling and consequent impairment or destruction of value.

To overcome these recognized suture junction weak spots, various methods have heretofore been suggested, and my present improvements 2o relate to a simple and novel structure for this purpose that may be readily produced on a known split-work machine with a minimum of change in the usual operation thereo Havingin mind this main object, my invention relates to the improved stocking structure and its method of manufacture more fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawing, the novel features of which are specifically set forth in the subjoined claims.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the foot portion of a split-work stocking showing a preferred heel structure embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic showing of the circle of needles of a known split-work circular knitting machine and indicating the needle divisions adapted to produce the heel pocket shown in Fig. 1.

Split-work stockings are well known in the art and their production readily understood, common practice being to form the leg portion 5 by continuous round and round knitting on one set of stitch cams and of a main thread, and at the beginning of the high splice area 6 course line hh of Fig. 1, to divide the needles, add a second thread and a second set of stitch cams, and by reciprocative operation of the machine knit two semi-tubular-portions, 7 and 8 on one half of the circle of needles and 6 and 9 on the other half, with their selvage end loops interengaged to form uniting longitudinal split work sutures 10. The heel pocket 11 as heretofore formed on the needles knitting the high splice heel 6 and sole portion 9, necessarilyproduces sutures joining the narrowed and widened heel courses which extended to the split work suture 10, their junctions at the .point 0 forming the well recognized weak spots liable to easy breakage and which weak spots my pres ent improved heel structure is intended to overcome.

My improved heel pocket 12 as indicated in Fig. 1 is formed on the half circle of needles that knit the high splice 6, but it will be noted that the narrowing begins at a point p removed from the connecting point 0 in suture 10, while the widening is continued beyond the point p to the point 0. This forms the widening-knit heel section 11b of greater width than the narrowingknit section 110. with a common suture 12 on each side of the stocking of usual suture stitch formation, and short sutures 13, of close stitch formation, connecting the loop between the points p and 0 on each stocking side. The close-stitchsutures 13, formed as hereinafter described, have greater strength than the usual stitches of suture 12, and their connections to sutures 10 at points o produce a strong junction not liable to tear or injury during even rough handling.

This improved heel structure will be further understood in connection with a simple method of knitting the same now to be described.

Fig. 2 indicates a circle of knitting needles 20 which may be conveniently divided on the diametral line a--a into two divisions for split-work knitting, 21 indicating the thread guide finger for one half of the circle and 22 the thread guide for the other half during reciprocative split work knitting. Suchdivi'sion, as heretofore will produce a tubular fabric with suture junctions formed on theneedles at the dividing line aa. To form the ordinary heel pocket heretofore commonly employed one half of the needles 20, employed in knitting the first half of the stocking are shifted to idle position but with retained loop, and the heel formed in usual manner on the remaining half by narrowing and widening reciprocative knitting. To form my improved heel, I not only shift the half circle of needles embraced in the bracket line 23, but in addition thereto simultaneously shift end needles of the other half embraced in the indicating lines 24 and 25, their loops being retained as in the needles in bracket 23. The idle needle division is now greater than half extending to the line b-b, and the active needles are less than half. On such less than half the circle of needles reciprocative knitting is begun and end needles shifted to idle position in successive reciprocation to gradually narrow the knitted fabric, producing the heel section 11a extending from the line p-m of Fig. 1. When adequate narrowing is effected, widening by reentering gradually end needles, as heretofore; needle indicated at 24 and 25 to non-knitting produces heel pocket 11b extending to the line 11-0. It -will.be noted that this widening by reentering end needles is extended to include the needles indicated at 24 and 25 so that heel suture 11b extends to the point 0, while section 11a began at point p removed from 0. Such usual narrowing and widening knitting produces the usual sutures 12 on each side of the heel extending only to point 9. As section 11b extends to o and the needles in 24 and 25 jointly shifted to idle posi- .tion have been singly reentered into knitting opstructure and a means of making the same will be readily understood. Tlre close stitch sutures 13 are strong and substantial due to their close stitch formation and provides, strong junction withsutures 10. The particular needle division indicated inFig. 2 is merely illustrative and may be readily varied as reguired and the wider; heel section may be the narrowing knit one instead of the widening knit bne by gradually shifting the sides of said first section at points removed for a plurality of' wales from the apex points of the latter. Q g

2. A split work seamless stocking comprising front and rear portions having longitudinal uniting sutures and a heel pocket in said-rear portion of unequal sections having uniting sutures angularly inclined to said longitudinal sutures, the apex points of one section being located in said longitudinal sutures, and the apex points of the other section being located in said angular sutures at points on each side ofthe stocking spaced from said longitudinal sutures for a pluraiity of wales, the angularsutures in'such wales having a different formation from the suture extensions between said heel sections whereby their junction with the longitudinal sutures is strengthened.

g HARRY McADAMS. 

